Explore a huge range of wines from the Old World and the New, and get to grips with a giddying array of less familiar vintages including some from Eastern Europe and the Middle East, as the Oxford Wine Festival gets underway this month. With guided tasting sessions, artisan food and live music, this is a well-planned event with a great atmosphere.
Have fun discovering the festival's hidden gems: not only that all-important Swiss Gamay you'd never have come across elsewhere, but also the kindly producers with fantastically communicable passion for their wares; the expert in Brazilian wine, or the Bordeaux importer who'll keep giving you exciting wines to try when you've run out of sample tokens at 9.45pm. And let's not forget that all-important trip upstairs to pick out famous faces from the rows of photographs of former Union committees - highlights include a particularly alarming portrait of a young Michael Gove in a kilt. So line your stomach, put on flat shoes and pack your photo ID (over 18s only!); it's time to raise your glasses for the city's wonderful annual celebration of wine.
